Kay Fly Lodge, Mexico.

January 10-17, 2025.

Calm seas and a beautiful sunrise are not always as they appear.

When animals and anglers alike are wearing coats, it’s clear that cold winter conditions have settled into Punta Allen, Mexico.

Ascension Bay Fly Fishing Report: Proof of a World-Class Fishery

This trip was a true testament to just how outstanding the Ascension Bay fishery really is. Despite challenging winter conditions, Ascension Bay once again proved why it’s considered one of the premier fly-fishing destinations in the world.

Before our arrival on January 10th, the region had experienced more than a week of persistent cold fronts. Strong north winds significantly dropped both air and water temperatures—conditions that typically make targeting the “Big Four” species—Permit, Tarpon, Bonefish, and Snook—extremely difficult. From experience fishing places like Cuba, Belize, and the Bahamas during similar cold fronts, I can confidently say that fish often disappear entirely or become reluctant to feed.

While we were certainly happy to trade winter in central Virginia for southeast Mexico, we knew the fishing could be especially challenging. What happened next exceeded all expectations.

From day one, we were amazed by both the sheer number of fish and the diversity of species we encountered. Ascension Bay delivered across the board. Quality snook were plentiful and very catchable—particularly impressive given that winter is when snook commonly push onto the flats. We also saw a strong showing of juvenile tarpon, with multiple anglers reporting sightings of tarpon in the 70–80 pound range. Bonefish were abundant throughout the week, and remarkably, five permit were landed despite the cold-front conditions.

Fishing Ascension Bay during winter proved once again that even under less-than-ideal conditions, this fishery continues to produce exceptional opportunities for fly anglers chasing all four species.